Best Ice Queens
by corybelle
Summary: Sharpay may be an ice queen but that doesn't mean she doesn't have a best friend. Her best friend returns to Albuquerque after six years but can East High handle two ice queens?
1. Nicki!

Disclaimer: Yeah, I own High School Musical… and there are ten months in a year.

Author's note: Hello!!!! I had a HSM story up before but it was very, very lame. Hopefully this one will be better. Enjoy. :

It was Saturday afternoon, and Sharpay Evans was checking her emails, her head propped lazily on her hand as she slowly scrolled down the long, usual list of admiring E-mails. Loser, loser, another loser…. Junk mail…

Suddenly her eyes lit up as she saw one from a familiar address. Smiling, she opened it up and read, eyes flickering quickly over the words. Halfway through she had to stifle a gasp, unable to believe what she just read.

"RYAN!" She yelled down the hall. Her twin brother Ryan, at his own computer, cringed as his sister shrieked his name. Sure, he loved his sister to death, but usually when she called for him it meant she'd soon be bossing him into doing something he didn't want to do.

Sighing, he stood up and opened his door, leaning out to see his sister leaning out of her own door down the hall, a wild, happy grin on her face that meant nothing good.

"What?" He asked his sister, albeit a bit hesitantly.

"I have great news!" she cried happily. Ryan sighed tiredly.

"What's the news?"

"Nicki's moving back!" Sharpay said with glee. Nicki had been Sharpay's best friend since Pre-School, but she had moved away when they were ten. The two of them had always kept in touch, but they hadn't seen each other since the fateful move.

"Great…" Ryan answered with a bit of worry in his voice as Sharpay disappeared back into her room. He remembered Nicki being exactly like Sharpay- and not just the love of acting and fashion. He wasn't sure if he could handle _two_ Sharpays. Just as he was turning to re-enter his room, she poked her head out of the door again.

"Isn't it? She'll be here next Saturday!"

HSMHSMHSM

A week later, Sharpay sat on the living room couch, flipping through a fashion magazine, and glancing at the clock every few seconds. _Nicki was supposed to have been here hours ago! _she thought frustrated, huffing.

Suddenly the chime of the doorbell rang out through the house. Sharpay leapt to her feet, leaving the magazine behind as she rushed to the door. She wrenched it open with a smile that faded as she saw the plain-looking girl standing there.

"Sharpay!" The girl cried excitedly, her light brown curls swinging around her face as she bounced on her heels slightly.

"Do I know you?" Sharpay asked scathingly. The girl looked slightly shocked to be addressed such, and replaced her joyful smile with a derisive scowl.

"Of course you do. _Everybody_ knows who _I_ am!" The girl replied, frowning further and placing her hands on her hips.

"_Please_! I know anybody who's anybody, and since I _clearly_ don't know you, I'd suggest you get off my doorstep, Nobody." The girl snorted at Sharpay's answer.

"Takes one to know one."

"Are you here to insult me, or do you have an _actual_ reason for being here? If not, leave!" The girl huffed at Sharpay.

"Well, I _was_ here to see my fabulous friend Sharpay… But I can see she isn't here, so I'll be leaving now. Good day, Miss" The girl turned her back and began to leave.

"Wait," Sharpay said, realization dawning on her as the girl turned around, "Nicki, is that you?" The girl smiled.

"Took you long enough," Nicki answered as Sharpay flung her arms around her friend in a joyous hug.

"I'm so glad to see you!" Sharpay squealed as they parted and turned towards the still-open door.

"So…. I've seen beauty, but where's the beast?" Nicki asked, looking around as though expecting him to jump out from behind a bush..

"Oh, Ryan's inside, come on," Sharpay said, gesturing for her to come in. Nicki entered the huge house, which was more of mansion, behind her friend. Sharpay walked Nicki to the second living room, where Ryan was sitting watching a movie.

"What up, Count Dorkula?" Nicki casually greeted Ryan as she sat on the back of the couch. Ryan looked away from the movie and to the brown-haired girl behind him. _Oh no, _he thought,

"Hey, Nicki," he said with a weak smile, carefully stifling a groan as he thought of all the trouble the pair were going to get him into.

"Please, Frankingeek, I'm not the same brat you knew six years ago. I've changed," Nicki said with a slightly unnerving malicious smile.

"Into what?" He asked, partly afraid of the answer.

"If I told you, I wouldn't have changed at all." She said before she turned back to Sharpay "So anything new in your life? Finally catch that Bolton boy?" Nicki asked, referring to Troy Bolton, star of the basketball team, and Mr. Perfect of East High.

"Nope, not yet but I'm close" Sharpay replied, fidgeting slightly.

"Close?" Ryan snorted. "What are you talking about, close? He's madly in love with Gabriella." Sharpay glared at the back of his head, inwardly fuming. She hadn't yet told Nicki about Gabriella, who had not only beat her for the lead role in the Winter Musical, but had also stolen her crush, Troy. Sharpay hardly ever lost at something she wanted, and when she did it was hard to admit it.

"Who's this Gabriella?" Nicki questioned knowingly.

"Just the evil, conniving, goody-two shoes" Sharpay answered scornfully

"I take it you don't like her."

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Sharpay answered sarcastically, standing up from her seat on the couch with a huff

"Well anyway, you know what should do?" Nicki said as she stood from the couch to comfort her friend.

"What?" Sharpay asked, clearly still upset.

"GO SHOPPING!!!!" Nicki announced, and the two friends grabbed hands, jumping up and down and squealing, while Ryan shook his head and muttered something that sounded very much like _"Girls."_.

"Okay, come on, Ryan, we're going shopping!" She told her twin, walking to the front hall to get her coat.

"Why do I have to come?" Ryan asked, wary of being in a mall with two teenage Sharpay-esque girls. Sharpay stopped, turned around, and blinked at him, her expression reading _'Do I really have to explain?'_.

"To carry our bags of course!" Sharpay said as if it was as obvious as the sky is blue. Ryan rolled his eyes but followed the girls out the door.

Author's note: ok that chapter uno, what do you think? I first like to thank my awesome beta/bestie Emptyinkwell or how ever you spell your name, who made my story grammatically correct. Also I'd like to thank you all for taking the time to get this far and actually read the whole thing. Please R&R :


	2. Shop Till You Drop!

**Disclaimer: if I owned High School Musical, Count Dorkula would be a much more appeicated character. Saddly I don't own it so Frankingeek is left in the dark.**

**Author's note: Here is my second chapter, but you fans can help me. I'm running out of names to have Nicki call Ryan- I need more than just Count Dorkula. So if you can think of one, tell me in your review(hint, hint). And Enjoy this chapter )**

The two girls gleefully pushed open the mall doors, arms hooked and chattering as they took in their town mall.

"Wow," breathed Nicki. "It's so different!" Laughing, they ventured further into their paradise, leaving a moping Ryan trailing after them. He sighed as their laughter floated back to him over the general chatter around him. What was it with girls and shopping?

He nearly walked right into Sharpay, who had stopped suddenly next to Nicki. Simultaneously, they turned around and looked at the window of the store they'd just passed, squealing as they spotted the sign that declared the shoes were 50 off. They turned to each other and nodded before rushing straight into the store, Ryan dragging his feet and trying to get there as slowly as possible

By the time he got there, they'd already picked out at least four dozen boxes of shoes to start trying on, which they did, tossing the pairs they wanted at Ryan. Ryan, struggling to hold all the boxes, was finally starting to lose it. _How many more pairs could they possibly need?_ Ryan thought as they stood to go find more shoes to put on. _Goodness knows Sharpay already has a million!_

Before he could voice such thoughts aloud, however, They two girls stood up and he inwardly groaned at the thought that they might be getting more shoes to try on. However, they slipped their own back on and started for the cash register.

Sharpay handed the cashier her credit card before turning around and seeing that Ryan was still struggling to hold all of the boxes. She huffed and rolled her eyes at Nicki, who returned the gesture.

"Come on, Ryan! We have to pay for the shoes now, so bring them over here," she said with the tone of someone who was reprimanding a misbehaving child. Grumbling, Ryan dropped the piles of shoes on the counter and sagged against it, glad he didn't have to carry it anymore.

"Don't get too comfortable, Lord Laziness, we've still got more shopping to do," Nicki said from his left. Ryan sighed for what seemed like the thousandth time that day, feeling his spirits sink lower and lower as they targeted their next store.

HSMHSMHSMHSM

After a few more laborious hours of shopping, Nicki and Sharpay agreed it was time they took a break to visit the food court. They both bought salads, devouring them with gusto as they talked excitedly about their new purchases, but Ryan was too exhausted to even think about food.

"Now that we're done shopping, what should we do with the rest of Saturday?" Nicki asked her friend after swallowing her last mouthful of salad.

"Hmm," Sharpay thought for a moment before the obvious answer dawned on her, "How about we go back to my house and give each other makeovers?!?"

Ryan's face quickly gained a horrified look as the two girls squealed once again. "_Please_ tell me I'm not involved in the makeovers!" Sharpay and Nicki both stared at him for a moment as though he were insane before looking back at each other and laughing madly.

"Is it just me, or has your brother gotten stupider?" Nicki insulted before turning back to Ryan, "Of course we don't want you involved in our makeovers, you idiot." Ryan was just about to open his mouth with a retort when he snapped it shut, deciding it was better to quit while he was ahead.

HSMHSMHSMHSM

Giggling seemed to permeate the entire Evans house, and Ryan had long gone- anywhere to get away from the total girlishness.

Nicki and Sharpay sat cross-legged on Sharpay's bed, Sharpay applying strawberry-pink lip-gloss to Nicki's lips. Sitting back a bit to admire her great work, she grabbed a mirror and handed it to Nicki. "All done. You like?"

Nicki shook her head. "No, I don't like it," she said, and Sharpay gave a scoff, putting the mirror down and glaring at her friend. Nicki laughed teasingly before adding, "You didn't let me finish, Sharpay. I don't like it- I love it."

Sharpay laughed and gave her friend a playful shove., resulting in a small, laughing fight.

"So, is there anything interesting I should know before attending East High on Monday?" Nicki asked as the two friends regained their composure.

"Well, there are a few things…" Sharpay began, then giving a detailed description of all the cliques in the school, and all the drama that had gone down a few months ago- revolving around the whole Troy-Gabriella thing that still happened to bother Sharpay. When she finished, Nicki sat back and blinked for a few seconds before answering.

"Wow, that's a lot to remember."

"Yeah," Sharpay said with a shrug as the two started to paint their perfectly manicured nails. "But that's high school- what do you expect?"

Author's note: yeah this chapter was shorter than the other one but the next one will be longer. Yes we all feel bad for poor Ryan, even I feel bad for him. Don't worry he gets more importance in the story besides being a slave to Sharpay and Nicki ok maybe he won't maybe he will. But the next chapter is Nicki's first day at east high, wonder how the other wild cats will re-act to Sharpay's bff. Hope you enjoyed it. R&R )


	3. Jazz Squares

**Disclaimer: If I owned High School Musical, Ryan would have ended up with somebody, but _nooo,_ he had no one!**

**Author's Note: High School Musical 2 rocked. I loved it and Ryan was sooooo amazing. I love Ryan- deal with it! But I also liked the whole thing with everyone bringing up Troy's Italian Leather Shoes, Hehe that was funny**.

Nicki stood impatiently at the Evans' front door on Monday morning as she rang the bell a second time. This time, Ryan came quickly and opened the door.

"Oh, it's you," Ryan said with a slight frown, giving the not-so-subtle impression that it was too early for him to deal with her. Nicki merely rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, anyway, is Shar almost ready? She said I could ride with her to school," Nicki said, looking around Ryan at the stairs, hoping Sharpay would emerge from them any second now.

"Oh, well you'll have to wait a few minutes, Sharpay takes forever to get ready," Ryan told her as he walked toward the living room. Nicki followed him, since she didn't feel like just standing there. Ryan plopped down on the couch, and after a brief moment of hesitation, Nicki sat down next to him.

"Whatcha reading?" She asked, glancing at the piece of sheet music Ryan was looking over.

"Lyrics to the song Shar and I are auditioning with for the Spring Musical. It's not as big of a deal as the Winter one, so only people who are truly dedicated to the drama club audition," Ryan answered without looking up from the piece of paper.

"When are the auditions?" Nicki asked, finally looking interested at the mention of acting and drama.

"Friday, but for a lead you need to audition with a partner."

"Oh," Nicki said, slightly disappointed. _Where am I gonna get a partner by Friday? _she thought.

"You could always audition for a supporting role," Ryan replied, instinctively knowing by the tell-tale pout that was forming on her face that if she wasn't calmed, a major tantrum might follow.

"I could… So could I see that piece of music for a second?" With a reluctant sigh, Ryan handed her the paper. She quickly glanced at the song, taking it in all at once, and noting with some surprise that it was a slow, love song. "You and Sharpay are auditioning with this?" she asked incredulously, "Sharpay isn't exactly the slow-love-song type of person, she's more into up-beat songs."

"I know, so we're not auditioning with the song the way it's written. She had our rehearsal pianist fix it to fit her style. But if we get the leads, we have to sing it the way it's written."

"It is a good song though, I think you should just audition the way it's written," Nicki mused as she slowly read more of it

"I would," Ryan admitted, "but Sharpay always does things the way she wants, no questions asked." He shrugged at Nicki's questioning glance about his submissive-ness.

"Whatever, so what musical is the school doing?" Nicki asked, realizing a little late she did not recognize the piece of music

"It's called 'Angel With a Flaming Halo',"

"Never heard of it."

"Not many have, since Kelsi wrote it, but it's really good "

"What's it about?"

"It's about this girl who's sick of being little-miss-perfect-goody-two-shoes, so she starts hanging with the bad boys, and is slowly turning into one of them. She starts to fall in love with the head of gang while she begins to forget all about her old friends, especially her best fried, a sweet all-around nice guy, who is desperately in love with her, but she has failed to notice until she almost loses him. So she becomes torn, not knowing who to choose."

"Who does she chose?" Nicki asked, trying to interpret the school's tradition of creating their own musicals.

"It would ruin it if I just _told_ you, so guess first."

"Either way, it will end clichéd…. But this is hard, both are very common clichés- best friend turned to something more, or good girl with bad boy? Hmm, I'll bet that she picks the bad boy."

"Right."

"I know this will sound dorky, but _I_ personally would have chosen the nice guy. I never saw the appeal in a bad boy, I've always thought the sweeter ones were much better." Nicki shrugged at her admission, "So you're auditioning to play a bad boy?" she snorted slightly, but stopped when Ryan nodded seriously. "Sorry I don't picture you as one."

"Why not, it's called _acting_."

"I never said you couldn't, I just didn't think you would."

"Anyway, if Troy auditions again, he'll end up with the lead. Which _I_ don't mind that much, since I'm already important. _I_ get to help with the choreography."

"Please tell me you won't be over using the jazz square?" Nicki asked, since jazz squares were Ryan's favorite move since they were in first grade. She could easily see him using _way_ too many. He just rolled his eyes at her, and before he could answer Sharpay walked, in holding her car keys

"Let's get going already," Sharpay said in a slightly annoyed voice, as though it were their fault she was running late.

"Yeah, you were the one holding us up, Shar, we were waiting for you to finish getting ready." Nicki answered as she got up. Ryan wisely didn't say anything but got up and followed the two girls to the car.

HSMHSMHSMHSM

They pulled up to the school parking lot with ten minutes before class. Nicki leaned out of the car, taking in the large school, and the small crowd of people still milling around it. She grabbed her backpack and slid quickly out of the pink convertible, waving a quick good-bye to Sharpay and Ryan as she walked swiftly to the front doors. She couldn't afford to be late on her first day.

She entered the school, weaving quickly and unnoticed through the students that both lined and clogged the hallways. When she finally reached the Main Office, it was with a temper from being pushed one too many times in the hallways.

She walked up to the lady at the front desk, who quite looked as though she would rather be anywhere else. After being given her locker number, combination and schedule- with a bit more attitude than needed, Nicki dove back into the quickly-thinning crowd to find her locker.

She found it a few down from a bright pink one with a gold star on it. _Must be Sharpay's _she thought, knowing Sharpay would be the only girl who would ever even _attempt_ to paint her locker. She hurriedly shoved her back-pack in; grabbed her notebook, folder and schedule; closed her locker; and walked to homeroom.

Navigating the corridors, she noticed the sign-ups for the school musical. She quickly scribbled her name in the Singles Auditions section and was on her way to homeroom.

When she entered the class, she took a moment to observe her classmates, most of whom were muttering to their friends about her, save the two Evans', she noted with relief. Boldly walking into the front of the classroom, she shook hands with her new homeroom teacher.

"I'm Nicolette Fletcher," she said.

"Oh, yes, you're the new student, you'll be sitting right there, Miss Fletcher." Ms. Darbus said pointing to a desk in the very back left corner. Nodding, Nicki walked to her seat studied her schedule. Something told her this might be a long day.

HSMHSMHSM

The chatter in the lunchroom seemed to dim slightly as all watched Nicki and Sharpay walk into lunch together. Ignoring the crowd, they climbed the stairs and sat at the drama table, which was now more of a jock-brainiac-drama table. Sharpay loathed the fact, but she let it go.

"So it is true, the Ice Queen brought back-up," Chad mumbled to Troy. It was well-known that Sharpay wasn't nice to new girls, so he assumed- correctly - the girl sitting next to Sharpay was her rumored best friend since they were toddlers. Sharpay, hearing the comment, glared at Chad, but decided to ignore it.

"Sharpay, I baked you some brownies last night," Zeke, who had a huge crush on her, said, handing her one of the delicious treats.

"_Ew_," She replied in disgust at the brownie, "I can't eat that, I have an _audition_ on Friday! I'm watching what I eat."

"Oh, well tomorrow I'll have something low-fat for you," Zeke replied, a little hurt but still hopeful he could find someway to bake his way into her heart. Sharpay ignored him, since she was too busy watching Gabriella and Troy flirt. _She_ was the one Troy should be swooning over! _What does she have that I don't?_ she thought with anger. Finally she decided not to torture herself any longer by watching them, and turned to her friend.

"So, enjoying your first day?" She asked, trying to block out the others' conversation on what their next group date would be.

"It's okay, I just feel out of place," Nicki admitted.

"That's exactly how I feel," Sharpay said. Ever since Gabriella had come to East High, she felt she had lost a lot of power she once had over the school.

"Oh," Nicki replied. she already knew who most of people at the table were from elementary school, plus who they were now from Sharpay's vivid description from the other night. She knew that they mostly enemies to Sharpay.

"Anyway, you doing anything after school?" Sharpay asked, now almost faltering in her vow not to stare at Troy and Gabriella as the former gave the latter a kiss on the cheek.

"Nope."

"Good, you're coming to my house after school. I need some criticism on our audition number," Sharpay commanded, "I mean, even though it's perfect already, it never hurts to get some critiquing,"

HSMHSMHSM

After school, in their home theater, the twins quickly changed into their dance costumes, put on the music to the song, and began performing it. It was an upbeat song, about how they shouldn't be falling for each since they are from two totally different worlds but couldn't help being in love.

It was very good, but the liveliness of the music didn't fit with the lyrics. Nicki personally thought it would have been better if they had done it the way she had read earlier.

"What d'you think?" Sharpay asked when their were done, walking to the edge of their stage and sitting down on it, swinging her legs back and forth as she observed her friend, who was sitting in their front row.

"I liked the dancing," Nicki said, trying hard to hide the fact that she disliked it. She might've been an actress, but lying in real life to her best friend was an entirely different matter.

"You liked the dancing? That's all you have to say?" Sharpay asked incredulously, wanting and expecting more praises to come from her friend

"Well, I also liked your outfits… And you sang well," Nicki answered, biting her lip a bit in fear that her friend would be mad.

"Anything bad?" Sharpay asked, assuming there would be nothing to say.

"The song could have been slower, I mean it shouldn't have been that upbeat. And the Dancing Dork put in too many jazz squares," Nicki replied, choosing her words carefully. Sharpay huffed, not seeing how she could go wrong with a fast song and wondering what was wrong with Nicki.

"Um, if it was slow the audience would be sleeping. I think we should probably keep them awake," she answered back.

"Whatever, but a musical needs some slow songs," Nicki argued.

"I guess, but _our_ number is good just the way it is. Right Ryan?" Sharpay retorted, turning to her brother for support.

"Sure," Ryan agreed, knowing it was best to agree with Sharpay no matter what she said, then flinching under the force of Nicki's glare.

"See?" Sharpay replied smugly, relishing in the fact that someone else admitted she was right.

"Whatev, can we do something else?" Nicki asked, not wanting to continue an argument that she too knew she would lose, since Sharpay would stop at _nothing_ to prove was right.

"Fine," Sharpay said, standing, "I'll be right back, I'm gonna change." She turned to go to her room, leaving both her friend and brother silently fuming at her stubbornness.

"So, since you think I have too many jazz squares, how would you fix the number?" Ryan asked her, walking over to the edge of the stage and pointedly ignoring her latest insult. Nicki raised her eyebrows.

"You honestly want my opinion?" She asked.

"Oddly, yes. I have only gotten _constructive_ criticism from Sharpay, and when she does it's only to make sure she's the one upfront and I'm the one right behind her," Ryan replied with a shrug, pushing his hands into his pockets.

"Well, if you really want you and Shar to look like equals in the dance, do more moves where you two have to be next to each other, not behind or front of the other, I guess." Nicki said, taking this new piece of information and running with it.

"Okay, I'll think about it." Ryan replied, "But Sharpay can be kind of hard to convince sometimes."

"I noticed."

Author note: Ok HSM 2 has not happened for the sake of the story also, for the Story East high has two musicals a year. I hope you enjoyed my story and hopefully Nicki isn't too marysueish if she is tell me please. R & R please and thanks )


	4. Cookies and Counts

**Disclaimer: I own High School Musical… and chickens quack.**

It had taken days of wasted hours and worrying, but it was finally free period on Friday, and a huge gathering of students sat in the auditorium, waiting for their chance to audition for the musical. They were a varied array of teenagers, and not just in looks. While some shifted nervously in their seats and glanced at their watches, others sat more confidently in their seats, waiting to wow the crowd and win the part. Finally the bell rang and the drama teacher walked up to the front of the room.

"Welcome to the temple of the arts," Ms. Darbus said, as she looked over the waiting students. "Singles auditions will be first, followed by the pairs," She said, motioning for the students auditioning by themselves to walk up toward the stage. Most of them were good, this was a school of many talents, but there were a few that could make your ears bleed.

After too-many tortuous minutes, it was Nicki's turn, and she walked calmly to the front of the stage next to the piano, certain she would succeed where the others had failed. She sang a few bars of song before finally getting into it. Though she wasn't the _best_ singer, her voice was pretty good, and her performing talents made up for whatever she lacked in her voice.

When she was done, she bowed to the small, collective applause and turned left to swiftly walk offstage. She sat down in her seat, struggling to stay awake through the last few singles auditions before the pairs auditions finally began. She didn't really pay attention to the pairs auditions, preferring to read her magazine than watch the utter lack of talent that was being displayed here.

Finally, Ms. Darbus called Sharpay and Ryan to go on. Their performance crew wheeled their stereo onto the stage and handed them their microphones as they touched up with a bit more glitz and glam. They performed it much like they had performed it the other day, more fast-paced and less true to the song- except Ryan did take a bit of her advice, and ended up being next to Sharpay most of the time. Still, Sharpay did get her way of being the one who got more of the spotlight.

After they bowed to their tumultuous applause and got offstage, the returning lead couple, Troy and Gabriella, auditioned, singing the song the way it was written- sweet, slow and sappy. They finished their song just as the bell signaling the end of free period rang. As students slowly filtered out of the theater, Sharpay sauntered over to Nicki.

"So did you think we did better than Troy and Gabriella?" She asked, glaring at the latter while simultaneously drooling over the former, a feat which to this day no one has ever been able to duplicate.

"I guess," Nicki answered dully. She was tired of Sharpay's jealousy of Gabriella, so she bent down and pretended to tie her shoe, only to get up and subtly move closer to Ryan while Sharpay was busy with her impossible feat. Even if she usually detested him, Nicki would've rather talked to him than Sharpay right then.

"So you took my advice," Nicki whispered to him.

"Yeah, but she still forced me behind her," he whispered back, the both of them trailing after Sharpay unnoticed as they made their way to lunch, and she ranted all about how 'Troy should be going out with me, not that AWFUL Gabriella'.

"I know, but what did you expect? This Sharpay that we're dealing with, remember?"

"How could I forget, I _live_ with her."

"Hello, are you two listening?" Sharpay interrupted, angry at the thought of being ignored.

"Of course we are, Sharpay," Ryan lied quickly, fearful of his sister's wrath. She eyed the both of them warily for a moment before she decided they were telling the truth.

"You better have, now come on, I don't want to be late for lunch," She said as she walked through the doors to the cafeteria.

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

"Sharpay! Here, I baked these for you," Zeke cried when Sharpay sat down, pushing a batch of cookies into her hand. There were many foods Sharpay could resist, but her weakness was Zeke's cookies. Ever since January, when she had first tried one, she had become addicted to them.

"Thank you," Sharpay said, ignoring Zeke's lovelorn sigh and accepting the cookies. Eyes sparkling, she tore open the bag they were in and pulled one out, breaking off a small piece and shoving into her mouth. "Mmmm," she mumbled through a mouthful of cookie, drifting off into space as she savored her cookie.

Nicki began to put her arm out to grab a cookie, knowing Sharpay wasn't gonna eat _all_ of them, since she was watching her weight, and wouldn't mind if she took just one. Just in time, Ryan saw Nicki reach out to the cookies, and grabbed her wrist to pull her arm away.

"Hey! What was that for?" Nicki asked, annoyed at him. Ryan winced at her formidable glare, but kept his position in saving her life and didn't let go of her wrist.

"Sharpay would kill for those cookies, so if you want to keep your hand, I'd suggest you wouldn't get _anywhere_ near one of those cookies," he warned, glancing at Sharpay, who was digging into the cookies with unrestrained excitement as Zeke watched on google-eyed.

"Chips Adork, you're not serious?" She asked in disbelief. She knew Sharpay was the type of girl who would kill for things, but baked goods were _not_ one of them.

"Yeah, I am," he said seriously, then he rolled up the left sleeve of his shirt and pointed to a big bruise on it, a mottled black and blue and _extremely_ painful-looking. "I got that from attempting to eat one the last time Zeke baked them."

"Wait…. She hit _you_!"

"Why does that make any difference?" Ryan asked, getting very annoyed at this girl who refused to listen to him.

Suddenly realizing what she had said, Nicki started blushing and stammered out "Well, it's you…. I mean she hits you all of the time, so that doesn't automatically mean she'd hit anyone else!" Ryan snorted and let go of her wrist. _She deserves it_ he thought, slightly angry.

"Fine, take a cookie, see if I care." Ignoring his tone, Nicki went back to trying to take one, but when Sharpay saw her hand out of the corner of her eye, and gave her an I'll-kill-you-if-you-come-one-inch-closer glare- and she probably would've growled if she hadn't had a mouthful of cookies.

Nicki pulled her hand back toward her side.

"Told you so," Ryan smirked at Sharpay's fuming friend.

"Whatever Dorkula" Nicki said, a little annoyed at Ryan for being right.

"Wait, I've been demoted?"

"Excuse me?" Nicki asked, truly having no idea what he was talking about.

"I thought I was a count, but now I'm just Dorkula."

"Like it matters."

"To me it does, I feel like I have superiority over other dorks," Ryan joked, and Nicki just rolled her eyes, stifling giggles.

"If you want to be _Count _Dorkula, then you are."

"Thank you," he said, then starting when Nicki punched him playfully in the arm. "What was that for?"

"No reason."

"What do you mean, no reason?" he asked, his voice rising.

"Hold up, _Count_, you've got to appease the commoners or you'll be re-demoted." Ryan sighed.

"Is this how it's always going to be?"

"Of course- this is Nicki Fletcher you're dealing with, remember?"

**Author's note: Ok this charpter is shorter than the last but I had fun writing it! R & R plz :)**


	5. Mondays

**Disclaimer: Yeah, I own High School Musical… and dogs meow. **

Monday morning seemed to be the perfect day. For a Monday, that is. There was bright sunshine outside, very little traffic, and little birds twittering outside. At least there was until a piercing scream rent through the air and stopped all the chatter in its tracks.

The screamer was standing in front of the cast list for the Spring Musical, and gasping for breathe after her long over-use of her voice, fanning herself with her hands to keep from fainting. _No! _she cried silently in her head _Once was more than enough!_

"No, she can't be the lead!" Sharpay moaned, gazing incredulously at Gabriella's name, next to Troy's in the spot for the lead roles.

"Well she is, and we're not being Punk'd. Now, who am I?" Ryan asked, standing a safe distance behind his sister with Nicki.

"The lame best friend, but who cares who you are, I'm not the lead!" Nicki snorted at her friend's complete disregard of her brother but remained silent.

"Do you have a part?"

"Yes, I'm the villainess who hates the lead's guts for stealing her man."

"Reminds me of someone."

"Not funny! This is serious."

"Who said I was being funny?" Sharpay spun around and glared at her brother.

"I would think you would have a little bit more compassion for your one and only sister!"

Ryan, about to open his mouth to retort, decided not to- realizing it's best not to kick his sister when she's down. Since she still kicks back very hard. Sharpay, meanwhile, looked at the list one more time, making sure she wasn't just seeing things, but the list was right and she huffed off to homeroom. Ryan following behind her.

Nicki looked at the cast list to see if she had gotten a part, before turning with a sigh to follow the two Evans' to homeroom.

HSMHSMHSMHSM

When the last bell rang, the cast and crew gathered in the auditorium for the first rehearsal of the musical.

They began the rehearsal with a read through of the entire musical, and the whole time Sharpay stared jealously at Gabriella, mentally making a list of all the things Gabriella did wrong that proved Sharpay should be lead.

But of course, the roles were already cast, and Sharpay would just have to be content with where she was.

When practice ended, the three friends made their way to Sharpay's pink convertible, while Sharpay ranted about the rehearsal. Nicki and Ryan shared an eye roll at Sharpay.

But of course, this was her car and their only way home, so they had no choice but to keep their mouths shut. Still, while in theory this seems rather easy, in real life it is practically impossible.

_The entire ride home, _Nicki thought angrily as they stepped out of the car at the Evans house, _she's been ranting about Gabriella! I wish she'd just SHUT UP!!!!! For goodness' sakes, the world DOES NOT REVOLVE AROUND YOU!!! TROY DOESN'T LIKE YOU, AND NO MATTER HOW MUCH YOU COMPLAIN, HE NEVER WILL, SO DEAL WITH IT!!!! AND IF YOU WANNA BE AN ACTRESS SO BAD, YOU HAVE TO DEAL WITH REJECTION!!! NOT EVERYBODY GETS THE LEAD EVERY TIME!!!_

She turned around to see Ryan and Sharpay staring at her, rather shocked- the latter looking hurt. " What did you just say?" Sharpay asked

"Nothing" Nicki lied hoping Sharpay didn't hear what she accidentally said out loud

" Oh please I heard you, you think I think the world revolves around me. Just because you wouldn't have friends if it weren't for me, you think that I'm spoiled with attention," Sharpay replied, getting angrier every second she was allowed to contemplate what her so-called best friend had just said about her.

"Fine, if that's how things are going to be, I'll just leave."

"Good riddance!" Sharpay yelled back, then she turned and walked into her house. Nicki watched Sharpay walk away, debating whether or not to apologize, but decided to just leave. Walking home would not be an easy task, since her house was quite a distance away and she was wearing heels. But walking was a better option than apologizing. She turned and began to walk off.

"Do you want me to drive you back to your house?" she heard a voice offer, and she turned to see Ryan was still standing there.

She blinked a couple times. "You're talking to me?" She asked incredulously. "But…. You're Sharpay's brother…. You do everything she says….. And I've been nothing but mean since I got here!"

"Do you want a ride or not?"

"Yes," She said quickly, not wanting to walk home in her impractical shoes.

"Okay, follow me," he told her as he headed toward the garage. He opened it with his key and pulled it up, revealing a huge room filled with their four cars, golf equipment, a pink golf car with the initials SE engraved on the front, and a bunch of shelves of old trophies. He stepped up to a black convertible and unlocked it, opening the passenger car door with a mock bow. She slid into the seat and closed the door as he sat in the driver's seat and turned the engine on. He backed out and began driving off to her house.

The ride was silent until Nicki finally said, "You're not mad at me for telling your sister off like that?"

"No, she got what she deserves."

"Think she'd be mad if she found you were driving me home?"

"Eh, who cares what she thinks anyway?"

"Yeah, it's more what she does that counts…. Specifically what she might do to you if she got mad about this." As they approached a red light, Ryan smiled and glanced her way. She was biting her lip, looking genuinely worried.

"Don't worry. I'll be fine."

"You can never be sure with Sharpay, you know."

**Author's note: So that's my fifth chapter it's really short I know,but I need you the reviewers help, since I can't decide should Sharpay get mad a Ryan for driving Nicki home or not. Cause I have it planned out either. So please tell me in your review thanks. )**


	6. Lady Jerk

Disclaimer: I own HSM... and Lemurs fly.

"Thanks, Count Dorkula," Nicki said gratefully when Ryan pulled up to her house. Ryan sighed disappointedly as she grabbed her backpack from under her feet. "What?"

"Even when I'm nice to you, you still call me Count Dorkula," Ryan replied, shaking his head.

"I've called you Count Dorkula for years, I can't just stop now," Nicki smirked as she got out of the car.

"See you tomorrow," She said before closing the car door. Ryan waved bye, then backed out of her driveway and drove home slowly, dreading his sister's wrath.

HSMHSMHSM

Ryan got out of his car and walked into his house quietly, for luckily the door was still open. If he snuck upstairs with out Sharpay knowing, it would be as if he had been home the whole time. But that was easier said than done.

"RYAN!" He heard her yell from the living room. He had two options- to ignore her and pretend he didn't hear her… or face the music. "RYAN! COME HERE NOW!" He sighed and walked into the living room, where he was greeted by an angry Sharpay who had been, it seemed, throwing a tantrum for quite a while.

"Where were you?" She demanded immediately, far past beating around the bush.

"Hat shopping," he quickly blurted out.

"Oh really?" She asked questioningly. "Let me see your new hats."

"Didn't see any I like." She snorted.

"Oh please, you always find at least _one_ hat you like."

"Well, this time I didn't see one. Now are you done interrogating me?"

"I'm not stupid. I think both of us know where you were."

"We do because I told you- I was hat shopping."

"You can stop with the hat shopping crap. I know you were driving her home." Ryan sighed, tired of his sister's behavior.

"So I drove the girl home, big deal."

"The big deal is.. Ugh, you don't get it."

"Can I go now then?" Ryan asked tentatively, wary of another explosion. Sharpay opened her mouth to retort but slowly closed it. She bit her lip in contemplation for a moment before a soft, evil smile spread across her face.

"Fine, I'll deal with it later."

HSMHSMHSM

The next morning, Nicki stood at her locker, debating whether or not to turn around and walk five lockers down the hall to her best friend's locker and apologize. On one hand, she really had been a jerk, but on the other, it was accident, and she wasn't sure if her ego could take the blow.

"Hey Lady Loser" she heard Ryan greet her from his locker which was two down from hers on her other side.

"What did you call me?" She asked, wondering if her hearing had suddenly become impaired.

"Lady Loser."

"Why?"

"Well if I'm Count Dorkula, I think you should have a royal title too."

"Can I be 'Lady Jerk'? I rather be a jerk than a loser."

"Um…okay. You are now Lady Jerk."

"Thank you, Count Dorkula."

"Ryan! Get over here!" Sharpay called from her locker, furious at her traitorous brother. Ryan sighed then walked over to her, with a look that read a clearly annoyed 'What?' "Don't associate with the enemy!"

"I didn't know she was 'the enemy'."

"Of course she is, now come on! I don't want to be late for class," she said as she slammed her locker shut and headed for homeroom.

HSMHSMHSM

Nicki walked into the lunchroom, trying to keep out of sight as long as possible as she walked up the steps. Finally she approached the drama table. She looked around the people who sat there- who, she realized suddenly, she knew very little about- and took a deep breath. It seemed the only choice before her was to try and apologize.

"Listen, Sharpay, about yesterday-" Nicki began, but she was quickly cut off by her friend.

"No, you listen! I know everything you said, yesterday, you meant. I mean, people don't just yell things like that for no reasons. So, if I was you, I would just back off before I decide to take revenge," Sharpay threatened. Nicki almost opened her mouth to try and plea to her best friend, but stopped when Sharpay spoke again. "I don't know why I've put up with you for so long, but my little charity-giving is over and you better get yourself out of my sight."

Nicki reeled back, stung. She was about to open her mouth and retort, but bit her tongue not wanting to make things any worse than they were- if it was possible for them to get worse. She turned, defeated and walked to an empty table, plopping down with a sigh. Sharpay sat back down as if nothing happened, and continued to eat her lunch. Ryan looked back at the lonely Nicki, knowing she had come only to apologize and had ended up scorned and humiliated before the most popular people in school. He got up without saying anything and walked over to Nicki.

"Hey," he said as he sat down next to her with his lunch. Nicki sat, frozen, a French-fry halfway to her mouth. "What?" he asked when he saw her.

"You're sitting with me… but you're Sharpay's twin," Nicki said, shocked.

"Don't you think I know I'm Sharpay's twin? You say it like it means we share a brain."

"If that were true you'd be smarter," she smirked. He simply sighed and grabbed his lunch again. Maybe she really was hopeless.

"If you're just gonna insult me, I'll go back and sit where I was." Nicki sat straight up and grabbed his arm as he stood up, trying to pull him back down.

"No, sorry, it's just I've been waiting to use that line for a while. Please don't leave me here." she said, a bit more desperately than she would've liked.

"Fine, I'll stay, but no more insults," Ryan said, sitting back down as a wave of sympathy washed over him. Could she really be feeling that bad that Nicki as he knew her was gone?

"I'll try, but I'm not making any promises." He snorted into his napkin. _Well, Nicki will always be Nicki_, he thought wryly.

"Do we have rehearsals after school?" Nicki asked.

"Yep, we have it everyday until the actual show. So that means we have to endure Sharpay throwing a fit for the littlest mistakes people make… or just because she doesn't have the lead."

"Please don't mention that girl to me, I'm sick of her. Anyway, the dancing for the play is really good. You're great with choreography."

"Thanks."

"But you use way too many jazz squares."

"What do you have against the jazz square?"

"Nothing, it's just that you need less of them."

"I don't use that many."

"Whatever."

HSMHSMHSM

Rehearsal wasn't all that interesting- it was mostly used on run- throughs of scenes one and four. After practice, Sharpay and Ryan were the last ones there, and only because Sharpay insisted on changing out of her slightly sweaty clothes. Knowing Sharpay, it would be a good ten to fifteen minutes until they left. So Ryan used his time to work on the choreography.

"You're using too many jazz squares," a voice said from behind him. He turned around and saw Nicki sitting at the edge of the stage, smirking at him.

"You're still here?"

"Yeah, since I don't have a license yet, I have to wait for my mom to pick me up and she's always late"

"Oh, well, anyway, I wasn't even doing a jazz square before"

"I know, I just needed a way of getting your attention" Nicki replied "So what scene are you working on right now?"

"The beginning of scene five,"

"Isn't scene five an old-fashioned, ballroom, partner dance type-thing?"

"I guess that certainly sums it, but not all of. Wait, could you help me with the choreography for the partner dancing? As you could guess, it's kind of hard to do by yourself." Nicki lifted an eyebrow and stood up as he walked closer.

"Are you asking me to dance with you?"

"Well to choreograph, one needs to dance"

"Right, but since I _am_ nobility, I think you should ask me more properly"

"Oh sorry, would you, Lady Jerk, give me the honor of your assistance for scene five's choreography" He asked with a mock bow

"Of course I would, Count Dorkula," Nicki answered, faking a curtsy. With that, Ryan put his right arm around her waist held her right hand with his left. He began to lead the dance, Nicki tripping and stepping on Ryan's foot quite a few times, since she didn't know all that much about this type of dancing. After a few moments, they had landed in a position where they were both facing the audience with Ryan's arms wrapped around her and her body pressed close against his.

"There are only eight counts left of the song, so they can sing from this position," Ryan said

"Uh..okay," was all Nicki could manage to say. She looked down, so he wouldn't see that her face was currently bright red- which only made him wonder what was wrong. Suddenly, they heard the footsteps of someone approaching the auditorium, and it was probably Sharpay. They quickly broke apart- even if they were just dancing, it would be very awkward for Sharpay- or anyone, for that matter- to walk in on them in that position. "Um.. I think I.uh.. See my mom's car.. Right over there," Nicki stammered, pointing out the window ."Bye." She blurted quickly, then rushed out.

Author's note: So that is chapter six, I'm still not completely satisfied with it, but Empty said it was good, and I'm always alittle negative on what I write. So I hope you've enjoyed this chapter, please R&R )


	7. My Conscience has an Attitude!

**Disclaimer: Please, like I would own a hit Disney movie, that's so last year.**

As in all healthy relationships, there have been times that Nicki and Sharpay had fought. But their other feuds were normally resolved within a day or two, and this one had lasted the whole week. Nicki had tried apologizing several times, but Sharpay would not forgive her. It bothered Nicki a lot that she had lost her best friend, and Sharpay, knowing the sadness she was bringing to her ex-best friend, wore a smug satisfied look on her face whenever Nicki tried to apologize. It made Nicki feel like Sharpay had power over her, and she hated it. She need a way to get back at Sharpay.

_I need to take something from her, something important to her. Something that will make her snap if I had it. But what? The lead and her crush are already taken by Gabriella . I could try to take her popularity… nah. What about….no that's too cruel, he's the only person who's been nice to me! It wouldn't be fair to him, he has no business getting mixed up in all of this. But still it would be the perfect plan. I'll just make sure there's a way for my plan to be affective without him getting hurt or realizing what I'm up to,_ Nicki thought as she walked into the cafeteria and sat down at an empty table.

A few minutes later, Ryan sat down beside her. He had been sitting with her everyday that week, even if it meant his sister had dubbed him a traitor. "Hey, Count Dorkula," She greeted with a tired sigh.

"Hey, Nicki,"

"Oh, by the way, I was looking through the script last night, and was thinking about Scene Two of the Second Act. It should so be a swing dance… No, wait, a jive!" Nicki confidently, finally lifting her gaze away from her food.

"You sure?" Ryan asked hesitantly, not sure of what she was trying to pull off.

"Yeah, you could so choreograph it. I mean, you can choreograph anything."

"Thanks, but why are you being nice all of a sudden?"

"I can be nice when I want to, there's more to me than just an insultive jerk."

"Sorry, I've just never seen you act nice."

"Oh, if you want me to be mean to you I will. For instance- that hat you're wearing, did you pick it out with your eyes closed, or are you just color-blind? And that shirt, did you lose a bet?" Nicki insulted with a smirk.

"I like nice Nicki better," Ryan decided after a few seconds of shock at her total and complete change of personality in about five seconds.

"Yeah, but I like mean Nicki better."

"Just don't turn out like Sharpay on me, okay?" Nicki laughed nervously.

"Sure." _Liar! _She screamed at herself, inwardly reeling. _You're a terrible friend and you'll always be one! How could you do this to someone who cares about you?_

Ryan smiled happily, but it vanished as he watched Nicki cringe a bit and glare down at her food suddenly as though it had the answers to all the problems in the world. "You okay?" he asked. Without even looking up, and without leaving her internal battle, Nicki nodded.

"Just fine."

_Do you really want to do this?_

_I need something to get back at Sharpay with!_

_Do you really?_

_Yes! And you know how she feels about things like that: she nearly took Stacy's head off when she mentioned it in second grade! There could be nothing better!_

_You don't care about anyone but yourself, do you?_

_That's not true!_

_If it wasn't, you wouldn't be doing this. _

_There's no other way! She'll snap to her senses when she finds out._

_Do you really want her back as a friend?_

_Of course!_

_After everything she's put you through?_

_Yes! She's a great friend…._

_When she wants to be. _

_Shut up!_

_I'm your conscience- you can't order me around. _

_Watch me!_

_No eyes._

_Not helping!_

_Too bad. He's the only real friend you have here and you're willing to throw that away just to get back at Sharpay? _

_I'm not throwing it away….._

_And how do you think he's going to feel about all of this? Did you even consider it?_

_I did, but there are more important things here._

_You disgust me. _

Ryan watched as emotions flickered over his newfound friend's face. Deciding it was best to just leave her to her internal battle, he picked up his tray, muttered a quick "Bye," and walked out of the cafeteria

Nicki didn't even notice that the person who was capturing her thoughts so intently had just walked away from her.

**Author's note: This is the seventh chapter, I didn't wanna end it there but Empty was all we should it leaves the readers thinking. Bu I like this chapter, arguing with ones self rocks! I also forgot to mention that I thank all my reviews you are what keeps me going if it wasn't for you I would have lost hope in my story R&R plz :)**


	8. My AntiConscience Needs To Flirt!

"You ditched me!" Nicki snapped at Ryan when she finally saw him again at his locker at the end of the day. He jumped about a foot in the air and turned around to face her.

"No, I just thought you needed some time alone," he answered calmly when confronted with the angry girl. He watched as she sighed and started mumbling something that sounded halfway between defense and apology.

"Sorry…. Looked up.. Gone… Thought you- like everyone else…" her voice trailed off and she looked down, shifting her feet slightly.

"It's alright," he assured her, "You're going through a stressful time."

"What are you, a guidance counselor? I don't need _you _to tell _me_ that it's fine and it's just stress! I know it's stress! Now let's get to rehearsal." She snapped. She couldn't stand that he was being so nice to her, it made her feel more and more guilty about what she was going to do.

"Okay, okay," he replied as he began to walk down the hall towards the auditorium. _What's up with her today? _He wondered as they walked down the hall.

HSMHSMHSMHSM

It was after practice, and Ryan and Nicki were sitting on stage, discussing the chorography, when Sharpay walked out, glaring at Ryan. She walked on to the stage.

"RYAN!" She yelled "How dare you associate with the enemy?"

"But I'm not talking to Gabriella," He said, pretending to be clueless about what Sharpay was talking about.

"I know you're not that stupid. I'm talking about her," Sharpay hissed, gesturing to her ex-best-friend. A glaring contest ensued between the two siblings until Sharpay turned around. "I'm going to the car, and you'd better be there in five minutes or else!"

As soon as she was out of hearing distance, Ryan snorted. "Or else what? She'll paint my nails?" he turned back around, to find a red-faced Nicki hurriedly picking up her stuff.

"I'm sorry to be causing you so much trouble. Since I'm "the enemy", I guess it'd be better for all of us if I just go."

"What? No, don't worry about it. It's really not about you, more the fact that I'm not following Sharpay around like her pet poodle," Ryan replied earnestly.

"You sure?" Nicki said, doubting that Sharpay was just mad at the fact that Ryan wasn't acting like her shadow.

"Of course, I know my own sister! Anyway, I better go. I only have three minutes left or else," Ryan said with a snigger as he turned around.

"Wait don't go, it'll give her the satisfaction of having control over you." Ryan lifted an eyebrow, "Which she doesn't! You can come home with me, I'm sure my mom wouldn't mind giving you a lift too."

"Really?" Ryan asked incredulously. "You'd do that for Count Dorkula?" Nicki blushed again.

"Of course, I'm not mean enough to leave you in Sharpay's clutches!"

"With you, I wouldn't be surprised if you were that evil," Ryan commented, as the left through the backstage entrance, laughing a bit until Nicki whacked him in the arm. "Ow!"

"You know, if a certain hat-wearing Count doesn't shut up, he will be sent to the Wicked Witch of the Southwest."

"The Southwest?"

"Yep."

"I thought it was just West."

"We live in New Mexico, making her the Wicked Witch of the Southwest," Nicki replied as they started down the steps outside to the parking lot, looking as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Oh, look, there's my mom's car. Let's go," she said as she walked away from the stairs. Finally, she turned around and, seeing Ryan lingering on the top of the stairs, added, in exasperation, "You coming or not?"

"I don't know, what if Sharpay sees us? She'll explode." Nicki sighed, silently thinking that Ryan needed to grow a backbone. But that was probably not the right thing to say at the moment, so she settled for reassuring him instead.

"Then stand behind me. She probably left already, anyway."

"You sure?"

"Yes, and if you don't come now, Sharpay won't be the only one who'll explode!" She said, annoyed at Ryan's wimpiness. Ryan quickly followed behind her, unsure of what he was more afraid, of a screaming Sharpay…. or a screaming Nicki. Nicki walked the car, walking past the woman sitting in the driver's seat and opened the passenger-side door. The woman who turned around, he now realized, looked like a taller, more grown-up Nicki, with slightly blonder hair and less curls. "Mum, is it cool if Count Dorkula comes home with us?"

"Yeah sure," Nicki's mother said, disregarding the insult with ease that spoke of having long put up with her daughter's verbal abuse towards other people. Nicki sliding quickly into the passenger seat, and Ryan sat awkwardly in the back.

"Aren't you Ryan Evans, Sharpay's twin?" her mother asked. Ryan nodded. "That's odd, I've never seen just you and Nicki together. Sharpay was always with you two, wasn't she?…Wait, Nicki, are you and Ryan dating?" The two teenagers turned bright red at the question and began spluttering incomprehensibly. At her arched eyebrow, Nicki cleared her throat and the both of them stopped talking at once.

"No, no we're not! We're just friends!" Nicki quickly answered, as though she wouldn't be able to say it if she hesitated too much.

"Yeah, JUST friends" Ryan said adding as much extra emphasis on the _just_ as possible. To avoid anymore embarrassment on anyone's part, no one spoke the rest of the ride.

Thankfully, the car soon pulled into the Fletchers' driveway. The house was an average two-story house, not too big but not too small. Nicki got out of the car and almost ran to the front door to unlock it. "Mum, me and Ryan will be in the basement!" Nicki called once the two teenagers inside, then walked as quickly as possible toward the basement door to avoid her mother. Ryan followed her down the stairs, but without the breakneck pace.

"Sorry about my mom. I went to an all-girls school back east, so she isn't used to me hanging out with guys," Nicki apologized as they entered the basement. As he walked away from the stairs, they saw Nicki's little sister Natalie sitting on the floor playing with a doll. "Nat, can you go play upstairs?" Nicki asked kindly.

"Why should I?" Natalie asked, sticking her tongue out at her older sister. Nicki sighed impatiently.

"Because, I have a friend over who's a boy, and I'm not allowed to have a boy in my room."

"Who's your friend?" Natalie asked, craning her head to see the blonde who was half-hiding behind Nicki. She stepped aside, revealing the hat-loving dancer.

"Count Dorkula, this is Natalie, my little sister."

"Oh, so you're Count Dorkula? Did you know my sister thinks you're cute!?"

"You do?" Ryan asked in shock, wondering why the girl who constantly insulted him would refer to him as cute.

"No I don't!" Nicki quickly answered, looking between the two of them, aghast.

"Yes you do, I read it myself in your journal." Natalie said.

"Okay three things, Nat. One: I wrote that I thought his _nickname_ for me was cute, not that he was. Two: leave now, and… Three: You ever read my journal again, Mr. Cuddles becomes Mr. Headless," Nicki threatened. Natalie obeyed her sister and ran up the stairs in fear of her stuffed bear getting it's head torn off. "So," Nicki jumped straight to the bullet as soon as her sister was gone, "wanna watch a movie or something? Cause standing around is lame."

"I'll watch a movie," Ryan replied.

" 'Kay," Nicki said as she led him over to a rack of movies. "Pick any movie, I could care less" Ryan looked through the rack, surveying the titles quickly.

"You've got a lot of horror movies," he observed.

"Preston," Nicki replied, referring to her older brother.

"Here, how about we watch this?" Ryan said, holding a movie that was about vampires. It had just come out of its wrapping last week. Nicki stared, her mouth working with no sound coming out. She had a fear of vampires, ironic, really, since she always called Ryan, 'Count Dorkula'.

"Uh...sure," Nicki agreed. She didn't like people knowing that she was afraid of anything. If he asked her why she refused, she'd end up spilling about her vampire phobias. It was too hard to lie to little, naïve Ryan. She had first-hand experience in this matter. She grabbed the film from his hands as he went to turn off the lights. With trembling hands, she popped it into the DVD player. She turned it on, and sat down next to Ryan.

It started out like any other movie, nothing too big or scary happening right in the beginning, but nevertheless, she had to keep mentally reassuring herself that it wasn't real. On screen, the main character of the movie was walking into a dark room, looking for someone, and anyone could have guessed what happened next. Suddenly the vampire came out of nowhere, and a loud shriek came from the poor girl on screen. "AHH!" Nicki yelled at the sight that was going on before her eyes, and she unintentionally grabbed Ryan's arm while squeezing her eyes shut tight, one hand covering them, and trying to block out the slowly fading screams. _"What the Hell!?" _Ryan thought, then he looked down at Nicki who was still shaking in fear. _"Oh, she's scared of vampires. Odd…."_

"_Stop thinking stupid!"_

"_What? What are you?"_

"_Your conscience, or anti-conscience as the case may be."_

"_That comment aside, what do you mean?"_

"_Hello, you have a pretty girl grabbing onto your arm!"_

"_SO?"_

"_SO? What do you mean, so? You're sixteen right?"_

"_Yes,"_

"_And a guy?"_

"_Last time I checked, yes. Why are asking me all these obvious questions?"_

"_In a moment. Are you gay?"_

"_Why does everybody keep asking me that? I'M NOT GAY!"_

"_Okay, any normal sixteen-year-old boy would see this as the perfect opportunity to impress a girl, be flirty, be sweet, turn on the charm."_

"_Why would I want I to that?"_

"_Must I spell this out to you? Fine. Okay, there is a girl, who's terrified to death right now, grabbing your arm, you need to be all sweet and charming be all 'everything's gonna be all right', comfort her, stupid. But do it more in the romantic way than in the friendly way."_

"_Why would I want to be romantic, exactly?"_

"_Because she's a pretty girl that's not related to you, duh!"_

"_But she's Nicki, my friend, practically the only one I have."_

"_What about friends with benefits?"_

"_I don't understand."_

"_You're hopeless. You know, friends and…. A little more?"_

"_I still don't…. Oh! But just because she's a girl, it doesn't mean I should start hitting on her. It would make everything to weird."_

"_Like things aren't already?"_

"_I see your point. But that would be like taking advantage of her! Isn't that a little mean? Actually, it's really mean!"_

"_And you're saying she isn't?"_

"_But pretending to comfort her and care about her THAT way, just so she'll, what, go out with me? I'd be using her!"_

"_Who says she wouldn't do the same to you?"_

"_Nicki may be mean, but she'd never do that to anyone. She'd never use me that way."_

His anti-conscience, or whatever it was, stopped answering, seeing- though it did not appear to Ryan- what was right in front of his face. Ryan looked back at the screen, then down at the cowering Nicki- who still hadn't moved for fear she'd glimpse a part of the dreaded film- and acted on impulse. He turned the sound down while sliding her hand down his arm and into his.

**Author's note: Come on everyone say it with me now, AW! How sweet is Ryan? Ok I just gotta say I loved writing Ryan's anti-conscience, I love Ryan, but for some reason I enjoy insulting him.**

**Empty: Oh, really? I would've never guessed.**

**The Awesomest Person Ever(me): Oh shut up, Ryan's anti-conscience was your idea. I just wrote some of it down.**

**Empty: Aren't I brilliant? By the way, 'awesomest' is not a word- your computer agrees with me.**

**Rachel(me): Is Rachel good enough? **

**Empty: It's okay. And I love this chapter so much! 'Nicki and Ryan sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!'….. Couldn't resist! ;)**

**Rachel: SHUT UP!!!!!!! Keep all views to pairings to your self Missy, it's up to my amazing reviewers to tell me if we should start singing NICKI LIKES RYAN! NICKI LIKES RYAN! Not yours!**

**Empty: sticks stung out Stop sucking up to the reviewers!(Not that you guys aren't awesome) I think I, as beta, deserve just as much respect! Now, as beta, it is my official opinion we have talked LONG ENOUGH. Farewell 'til next chapter, readers! Click the blue button…. You know you want to…**

**Rachel: Oy Vey, this what I get for letting my beta speak, it's purple by the way Empty. Sorry for that guys, oh and since there's no disclaimer I'll say it now I don't own HSM. So Please R & R**


	9. Fiddlers and Fighters

**Disclaimer: yeah I own High school musical since every middle schooler you know owns a hit Disney movie**

_Why is my brother holding my hand? _was Nicki's first rational thought once she regained a bit of sense. Her second was that she couldn't quite hear the screams coming from the television anymore. _Why would he turn down the TV? He doesn't care_! she thought, having lost all awareness of what was going on, and jumping to the obvious conclusion- that the only times she ever watched horror films was when her brother, Preston, roped her into it, and he didn't even care enough to look her way when she instinctively latched onto him in fear.

_Ryan's holding your hand, idiot! Don't you remember anything that happened today?_

_Ryan's holding my hand!?! OH MY GOSH!!! I mean, oh, it's you again, what do you want?_

_Nice save. not. I'm here again to tell you what I've been trying to get across unsuccessfully for ages. Don't you think it's wrong that you're gonna use him?_

_Why? I'll get what I want, and I'll make sure he doesn't get hurt._

_Listen, hun, no matter what you do, you'll end up hurting him. I mean, you are toying with his emotions, and I think he likes you._

_No, he doesn't._

_Um, he's holding your hand, and by the sound of a certain freckled-faced girl's fast heartbeat, I think she likes him back._

_So my heart's beating fast, big whoop, that doesn't prove I like him._

_Yeah it does, that and your reaction when you realized it was Ryan holding your hand._

_I don't like him as anything more than a friend._

_Go through with your plan and it'll seem like you don't care about him at all!_

_I do too care!_

_I'm your conscience, it's my job. How about this, you forget all about your evil scheme for now, and just let things go on naturally, and I won't bother you for the rest of night_  
_  
Deal!_ "It's over," Ryan said, breaking Nicki out of her thoughts. She opened her eyes slowly, wary of a trick, but it was true. The credits were rolling.

"Good movie," Nicki said, trying to be casual and failing. Miserably.

"So let me guess, you afraid of vampires?" Ryan asked."Shut up, I am not!" she lied. "You covered your eyes for the entire film, and you grabbed onto my arm," Ryan pointed out.

"Yeah, but I'm the one who decided to hold hands," Nicki replied as she looked down and noticed their hands were still interlocked. Ryan looked down too with a confused expression, but didn't pull away.

"Well, forgive me for trying to be nice to you. You were scared, the nice thing to do would be to hold your hand for reassurance, but I guess I'll remember to not be nice to you!" Nicki bit her lip. Clearly not the right thing to say right now. Especially not with an accusatory tone.

"No, it was really sweet what you did, but no more vampire movies, okay?"

_"Damn, no more excuses to hold her hand!"_ Ryan heard his anti-conscience say. "Dang!" Ryan blurted out without realizing it. As much as he hated to admit it, he had to agree with his that voice inside his head. He did enjoy holding her hand. When he saw her staring at him oddly, he felt the color rise quickly to his cheeks.. At least, more color than was already there.

"What, are upset that you don't another chance to hold my hand?"

"No. But if you really wanted me to, I would consider it."

"Really? So, if I asked you to hold my hand right now, would you?" Ryan contemplated this for a moment.

"It depends." "On what?"

"Well, what would I get out of holding your hand?"

"The satisfaction of a girl like me letting you hold her hand," Nicki replied as though it were the most obvious thing in the world.

"Not enough." Ryan trailed off before coming to a realization about her motives, "Wait, do you really want me to hold your hand that badly?" Nicki started blushing worse than Ryan.

"No, I mean, since you're offering, why not?"

"Well," he said, enjoying this far to much than the rational part of him liked, "I'm gonna need something to sweeten the deal."

"Like?"

"I don't know, what do you have to offer?" he asked with a wink. _Since when did I become my anti-conscience???  
_  
"Well." she kissed him on the cheek quickly.

"What was that for?" He asked, minor terror on his changing personality long gone.

"To thank you for being so sweet, I mean traditionally a girl kisses a guy on the cheek as a sign of gratefulness when a guy does something out of chivalry."

"Oh," was all he could think to say. They sat in comfortable silence like that for a while, hands still intertwined.

"So, what time do you have to head back to your house?"

"Doesn't matter, I can stay until you kick me out," he answered jokingly.

"Okay, well. it's only like eight-thirty, and it's a Friday, so we could watch another film, _then _I'll toss you out of here."

"Sounds good."

_"Hmm, since horror flicks are out of the question, how about a sappy chick-flick? I'd go for The Notebook, girls love sappy stuff like that. And guys who are sensitive enough to appreciate it," _His anti-conscience suggested

_"Is flirting all you care about?"_

"_No but at the moment yes, and this girl will be easy! She practically has a neon sign above her head that says 'I Like You'."_  
_  
"She does?"_  
_  
"Well, maybe not that bright, but you can still tell she likes you."_

_"Okay, well I guess I'll suggest the movie then."_ "How about we watch The Notebook?" Ryan suggested uncertainly.

"Ew, no I hate that movie," Nicki replied as she stood up to grab a different movie "How about this?" Ryan had to take a moment to stop himself from missing the feeling of her hand in his before he could actually read the title.

"You want to watch Fiddler On The Roof?"

"Yes!"

"But that movie is so long."

"Please?" She begged forming her face into a Grade A Puppy-Dog Pout.

"Alright, alright! We'll watch it!" Ryan gave in, knowing it was pointless to even try and resist the well-practiced pout. Nicki smiled and quickly popped. the movie in, before sitting back down next to him. She sighed happily, knowing she was watching a movie she knew and loved, which wouldn't cause her to scream or cower.

But when the musical was half over, she began to feel tired and she let out a yawn. She needed to lay down, so she simply laid down with her head on top of Ryan's lap, not caring if it would bother him. But it didn't seem to since he was too engrossed in the tale of Tevye and his daughters. She never noticed how he'd occasionally look down and smile at her, or if she did, it was forgotten by the time she woke up.

As the credits rolled, Ryan looked down once more to find Nicki asleep on top of him. "Nicki, wake-up.." he said "Come on, wake up!" he said again, and this time he shook her too. She slowly opened her eyes, and when she caught sight of him, she didn't say anything, she just grabbed Ryan's hat off his head. He laughed as she covered her face with it, and he was sure he could here her own stifled giggles. "Can I have my hat back?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because you woke me up," She answered tiredly, lifting the hat a bit to send a mock glare at him.

"Kinda had to, you were on top of me."

"Not my fault you're comfy." He sighed and slowly pushed her off of him. She pouted and moved away, still keeping a tight grip on his hat, which he knew better than to try and grab back.

"Well, I gotta go home, night."

"Night, I'll give you your hat back next time I see you- on Monday."

HSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSMHSM

After arriving home, Ryan went upstairs, hoping to avoid his twin sister. But unfortunately for him his sister stopped him before he reached his room. "You were with her, weren't you?" She asked venomously.

"Yeah, so?" Ryan replied honestly, he didn't feel like lying anymore.

"So, so? I hate her, you can't spend time with her if I hate her!"

"Just because you hate her, doesn't mean I have to."

"Yes it does, you're my brother, and blood is thicker than water!"

"I know, but being your twin doesn't mean I have to feel the same way about everything that you do. You can't control who I'm friends with!"

"Why would you want to be friends with her, anyway?"

"I have a good time with her, and she actually cares what I think, unlike a certain girl I know!"

"I care what you think, and she's nothing but mean to you!"

"Like you're not."

"At least I call you by your first name."

"So, I've come to accept the name Count Dorkula as a term of endearment."

"A term of what?"

"Endearment. I mean, think about it. She calls everybody but me by name, I must be pretty special if she took the time to think of a nickname for me."

"Please, it just means she thinks you're a dork, stupid."

"So, I kinda am one. And you know what? I don't care. It's just the way things are."

"I know, but I thought you didn't like her anyway. Like, you used to always dread seeing her when I was friends with her," she said, as though this period in their life had been ages ago.

"I got to know her, and she's an interesting person to talk to, even if she can be mean at times."

"Please, I've known her forever, she not that interesting."

"Maybe because you're too consumed in yourself to take the time to listen to those around you."

"It's only because I'm far more interesting than anyone else." Ryan snorted at his sister's arrogance, feeling a lot braver than he ever had when dealing with her.

"Not true. You're boring me all the time, really. I mean, all you ever do is go on and on about Troy and Gabriella." "She's brainwashing you, isn't she?"

"No, actually, she's just been saying everything I was too scared to say," he said, and before Sharpay could open her mouth, he turned around went into his room, slamming the door shut in his sister's face for the first time in his life.

**author's note: This is offically my fave chapter so far, it's makes me feel all warm and fluffy but not so much where I puke, I hate overly mushsy barf worthy fluff, no offense to you who write/love it. Oh and if you have never seen Fiddler On The Roof, I recondmend it, great movie/musical. Well adios, and please R&R**


	10. Siberia

"You're wearing my hat," Ryan said on Monday as he stood at Nicki's locker. The brunette jumped a foot in the air and whirled around to face him. They blinked at each other for a moment before she answered.

"I'm what?"

"You're wearing my hat." She reached up a hand to touch the top of her head and met teal fabric.

"Oh, it was so I wouldn't forget to give it back," Nicki replied as she began to take it off to hand it to him.

"No, keep it."

"Really?" the wide-eyed look was back. Too-hard-to-resist….

"Yeah, it looks better on you anyway."

"You think?" She asked as she began to place it back on her curly locks.

"I never lie when it comes to hats."

"Thanks, where's your sister? She's usually here yelling at you since I'm the so called "enemy", as she puts it."

"She's been ignoring me all weekend, since we got into a fight on Friday."

"About?"

"Me hanging out with you."

"Oh, sorry for causing problems between you and your sis."

"It's okay, personally I'm happy she's leaving me alone."

"Well, then you should be thanking me," she answered, haughty demeanor back.

"Uh, thank you."

"You're welcome."

HSMHSMHSMHSM

Later that day Nicki was sitting up in her room, finishing her math homework, when her cell phone rang. "Hello?" Nicki answered, still tapping her pencil on her desk in an effort to find the answer.

"Hey, it's Count Dorkula," Ryan said from the other end of the phone.

"Hola, dorky amigo," she answered, now chewing on the metal that connected the wood and eraser.

"I'm bored, you doing anything right now?"

"Finishing the last equation on my math homework, why?"

"There's this new Chinese place round the corner. Come with?"

"Sure, I'm hungry."

"Pick you up in ten?"

"Make it fifteen, I still have a problem to do, and I need to change."

"Why, what you were wearing earlier is fine."

"I know that, but I'm not wearing that. I changed into sweats when I got home from rehearsal."

"Oh, okay, well see you," he said, then hung up. Nicki sighed, and put her pencil down.

"PRESTON!!!" there was a loud crash from said older brother's room and some mild cursing as he opened his door. Nicki waited patiently until he appeared in her doorway.

"What do you want , Freckles?" he asked, annoyed, "I just nearly knocked my whole desk over when you surprised me, so this better be good.

"I want you to tell Mom when she gets back from picking up Nat that I'm out with a friend."

"Friend, or a boyfriend?"

"Why does everybody want to know this? Friend, he's just a friend."

"Oh, is it that Dracula fellow?"

"Dorkula, not Dracula."

"Oh, it is Dorkula? 'Cause 'Lie was mumbling about you and a Dorkula on Friday and I kept telling her that it's Dracula."

"Yeah, that's great, anyway, just tell mom I'll be home at eight thirty," she stood up and closed her door, not wanting to talk to Preston any longer. She sat back down at her desk and picked up her pencil to return to her math homework. The problem was much harder than she thought and she had to look through countless pages of notes to figure it out. By the time she finished her homework and just gotten over to her closet, the doorbell rang. All notions of getting changed out of her head, she walked downstairs and opened the door before her. "Hey, Count Dorkula!" she greeted.

"Hey Nicki," Ryan said, "Never thought I'd see the day Nicolette Fletcher would have no make-up on," he commented with a small smile.

"You don't need to tell me I look hideous! I already know I do!" She snapped at him.

"No, no, I didn't mean it like that! You look fine!" he said, quickly realizing she took his comment as an insult.

"You don't have to lie, we both know I look horrible right now!"

"But I'm not, I personally think that you look beautiful with or with out make-up," he complimented, and Nicki began to blush .

"Aw, you're just saying that cause you're too sweet to tell me I look horrid."

"Nicki, you don't look hideous, horrid, horrible, ugly or any other word to that effect. What can I say to prove to you that you look fine?"

"Nothing, since there's no way to tell me that without lying."

"Okay, I'll say it again. You're not ugly, you're pretty. Now are we going to go or what?"

"We can't, I can't, no matter what you say, I still look bad."

Fed up with her stubbornness, he decided it would just be best to agree with her and be done with it. "Alright, you look horrendous, now let's go."

"Jerk!" she replied, punching him hard in the arm.

"OW! What was that for?" he asked, confused.

"Well, you called me ugly, duh! What kind of guy calls a girl ugly?"

"Well, I called you pretty, but you kept saying you're ugly, so I agreed with you so we could just get going, and, and….. You're confusing!"

Nicki laughed, "Sorry, I was just seeing how far I could take this 'til you snapped. Let me just grab my purse and we can go."

"You're evil, you know."

"You just noticed this now?" Nicki replied as she began to walk up stairs. A few minutes later she returned downstairs with a purse in hand and a hat a top her head.

"You really like that hat don't you?""

"It's a nice hat."

"Well, you ready now?"

"Yeah, let's go." she said. Walking out the door, he unlocked the car, and she slid into the passenger seat. The ride was silent until Nicki finally spoke. "Do you really think I'm beautiful?"

"Uh…well…" He stammered. He did find her attractive, but he only meant for his compliment earlier as a way to calm her down. She stared at him, waiting for answer, which made him nervous. It was a lose-lose situation, tell her he was lying and she either gets extremely mad or extremely upset, tell her he was telling the truth, and things become, well…awkward, to say the least.

"Well?"

"I… uh… think…you're…uh…"

"I'm…uh what?"

"You're, you're….." he was caught. Finally he blurted the first thing that can to his mind. "Of course you're beautiful." She smiled at him, that tell-tale sparkle in her eyes which told him that he was in deep trouble, good compliment or not.

"Really?" she asked coyly. Darn it, she wasn't going to let this go…..

"Of course you are. Everyone is, on the inside or on the outside, depending on the person. Nobody is neither, and there are very few people who have both." Nicki looked thoughtful.

"Oh. Good answer. So, which one am I? Or am I both?" before she had a chance to get the answer out of him, he saw a sight that nearly made him laugh with relief.

"We're here!" he cried as her turned into the mall that had the new Chinese restaurant he was half regretting ever wanting to go to. He pulled into a parking spot in front of the shop and got out, closing his door to see Nicki still sitting in the car with her arms stubbornly crossed.

"I'm not going in there!"

"Why not?"

"Hello, I can't let people see me like this, you seeing me a wreck is one thing but the public is another!"

"So I drove all this way for nothing?"

"Pretty much."

"Fine, since you're vain, I'll get take-out." he had started to walk away when she exploded.

"I am NOT VAIN!"

"Yes, you are!"

"How so?"

"Well, you're the one who's so concerned about your appearance that you won't even go into a restaurant!"

"You care about your appearance too."

"No, I don't!"

"I bet your clothes are more expensive than mine."

"Sharpay forces me to wear this stuff."

"Even your hats?"

"Well, not the hats, but everything else she forces me to wear."

"Dude, why do wear what she tells you to? You don't have to do what she says."

"Um, have you met my sister?"

"Uh, yeah, she's my ex-best-friend."

"Yeah, and you don't ever disagree with Sharpay when it comes to clothes."

"Well, yeah, she's Sharpay….. Oh."

"Yeah."

"Well, okay, if your true love moved to Siberia, would you move there too?"

"What?"

"Would you move to Siberia?"

"Why would I want to move to Siberia?"

"Because your true love is there."

"Why would my true love be in Siberia?"

"Because she's imprisoned."

"But why in Siberia?"

"Because they have prisons there."

"Don't they have prisons where I live?"

"The government prefers Siberian prisons."

"Okay…. What is the point of this question?"

"To find out how far you'd go for your true love."

"I don't even have a true love yet."

"Pretend you do."

"What kind of true love is she? I mean, is she the kind of girl who really loves me and is really nice, or is she really mean and I'm only helplessly in love with her even though she doesn't love me back?"

"What?"

"Is my love returned?"

"Uh.. She's mean, but she does care, just not in lovey-dovey sort of way."

"Why would I want to date a girl who's mean?"

"Because nice people are annoying."

"But I'm nice."

"Yeah, I already said that."

"You know, it's a wonder I hang out with you."

"Whatever, just answer my question."

"Your explanation still doesn't really explain why you chose Siberia. I mean, how would I get there? How would I get my belongings there? Where would I live there? How long until my true love gets out of prison? What is she in prison for? Will she get out? Will-" Finally it seemed Nicki had reached her breaking point.

"It's about Hodel and Perchik, you idiot! Hodel and Perchik! Were you watching the movie at all?!? What else would it be about?!?!" Ryan, who had been leaning with his back against the driver side door of his car, turned around at her outburst and raised an eyebrow at the livid girl. "I think it's time we got something to eat. I'm hungry, and then I want to go home." She got out of the car and walked straight into the restaurant, Ryan still staring at the possibly bipolar girl and shaking his head.

When Ryan entered the restaurant, she was already standing by the 'PLEASE WAIT HERE TO BE SEATED' sign and tapping her foot in impatience. "You walk slow," she snapped before turning back around.

"WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM!" He yelled, finally fed up with the brunette's attitude. "YOU'VE BEEN NOTHING BUT NASTY EVER SINCE I CAME TO YOUR HOUSE! JUST LAY OFF MY CASE!" She was shocked, having never heard Ryan yell about anything. Now everyone was staring at them due to his outburst. Without saying anything she stormed out the door and into the parking lot. Ryan sighed and ran after her. "Where are you going?"

"Home!" she answered, not even turning around.

"How?"

"By walking, ever heard of it!?!"

"But you live over five miles from here!"

"True, but I'd rather walk than talk to you!"

"So you're going to walk over five miles because you're mad at me?"

"Yes, anyway you should be happy. Since I have 'problems'."

"Well you do, you've been insulting and snapping at me all day for no reason."

"So do you. I mean, who just yells in the middle of a restaurant?"

"A person who's been bottling up their anger towards a certain girl."

"Bottling things up is bad, you're suppose to verbalize your feeling, that's what I do."

"Yeah, but verbalizing doesn't mean being rude."

"I'm not rude."

"Yes, you are, you're rude, loud, insultive, temperamental, moody, and that's just the top five. Want me to continue?"

"Well, you're overly nice, and scared of your own sister."

"I am _not_ scared of Sharpay."

"Yes you are, if you weren't you wouldn't do everything she says."

"I do everything she says because I don't like to cause problems, I just go with the flow."

"Your sister is not the flow. She is completely against the flow. In fact, the flow hates her with a passion."

"Then what is the flow?"

"Flow, well… Flow is what feels like the natural thing to do. Usually the norm, but really just what ever fate feels is intended."

"You believe in fate?"

"Yeah, of course, don't you?"

"Not really."

"Well, fate _is_ there and everything happens for a reason."

"Fine, then what is the reason for this conversation?"

"The reason is that you need to know what fate is."

"I thought you were mad at me."

"I'm over it." Yep, definitely bipolar.

"What if I'm still mad at you?"

"Fine, I'm sorry," She mumbled, she hated apologizing, even if- or perhaps especially if- she knew she had been acting like a jerk

"Sorry won't cut it, you're going to have to make it up to me." Nicki thought for a moment.

"How?"

"Well…" He paused and began to think. _Hmm, what do I want?_

_This the perfect opportunity to get almost anything, she's probably feeling majorly guilty_

_Oh, it's you._

_You don't sound all that happy to see me. I'm here to make your life better._

_You're annoying._

_So are you, apparently._

_You were here the whole time?_

_Yep. Ready to step in whenever you needed me._

_How would you know that I would need you?_

_I knew you'd mess up._

_What, are you psychic?  
_

_No, you just always do. Without fail. It's your thing._

_Thanks so much. _

_Always ready to serve._

_Then can you actually help for once?_

_Sure…. What was going on again?_

_You've forgotten already?_

_What can I say? You're not an interesting person. _

_Hey!_

_The honest truth…. for once. _

_Fine, if you're here to help, what do you think I should ask her?_

_You still against friends with benefits?_

…

_I knew it! So influence it!_

_I can't._

_Why not? She's right there, and if I'm right, she's just itching to scream 'I like you!'_

_You think so?_

_Who's so hopeful now, you filthy hypocrite?_

_Insulting yourself again._

_Not important. What is important is that if you don't move now, you'll miss the chance of a lifetime. _

_She does not like me and I don't like her._

_I'm you, so yeah, if I say you like her, it means you like her. I would know. _

_Fine, but if this goes up in flames, I will never forgive you._

_But if it goes well, you are forever grateful to me._

_Okay, but I'm not sure._

_Fine…..I'm taking over._

_What?_

_You heard me, I'm taking over. If you're not going to make the first move, I will_. Before Ryan could argue back, his anti-conscience took over. "So Nicki, you'd do _anything _I asked you?"

"As long as it's legal."

"Good," He replied with a mischievous grin.


End file.
